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How fast is your cellphone moving? [Telecom]

Are cellphone GPS capabilities good enough for the phone itself, or the cellphone company, to know how fast it's moving -- say, in a car, on a highway?

Could they be?

Seems as if lots of cars have GPS units these days. Could they trigger a cellphone disabler above some speed? Or, just have the speedometer do it?

["Disable" could mean the cellphone will still receive and signal that a "page" has been received, indicating that someone has left a voice-mail or text-mail on the cellphone system; but the ability to read, listen to, or respond to that communication will remain disabled until the phone has been at a halt for 5 minutes.]
Reply to
AES
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What about passengers or need for a cell phone during a bonafide emergency?

Reply to
John Mayson

That's not good. Suppose there's a medical emergency for which 911 needs to be called. Waiting 5 minutes could be lethal.

What we have here with cell phones and distracted drivers is a people problem, not a cell phone problem.

By people problem I mean it's the idiots driving around eating, preening, texting, using a cell phone, etc.

Here's what I'd like to see happen though I doubt it ever will:

Station humongous cranes every 100 feet alongside all roads. Each crane carries a humongous electromagnet. Using the latest AI tech from MIT, CMU and CalTech embodied in roadside kiosks with video cameras, signal the nearest crane when a driver is spotted texting or using a cell phone, lift the vehicle 20 feet off the roadway, swing it to the side of the road, and continue suspending it until a police officer, after finishing his donuts and coffee, can get around to the suspended vehicle and cite the operator for distracted driving which will carry a $100,000 fine and 200 points on the license (which in most states also means loss of driving privileges, auto insurance, and probably the vehicle, too).

We can dream! :-)

Reply to
Thad Floryan

yup.

I dunno. see above. :)

"Could?" Sure. JASMOP (Just A Simple Matter of Programming) applies.

_Should it?_ That's a *very* different question.

Lots of possible down-side risk if you do.

That could be hard on the speedo cable, or the phone itself, if somebody tries to exit the vehicle while still 'tethered' to the speedo. :)

_next_ bright idea?

Reply to
Robert Bonomi

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